Journal profile · Microbiology
Cell Host & Microbe
ISSN 1931-3128 · eISSN 1934-6069 · Cell Press · UNITED STATES · Monthly · Founded 2007
Cell Host & Microbe: CAS Zone 1 · Medicine (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal); impact factor 23.22; hybrid open access; APC about USD 10,400; median 154 days to acceptance (86 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: hard; 219 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Cell Host & Microbe is published by Cell Press and is in Zone 1 of Medicine in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Gut microbiota and health, Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens research and Mosquito-borne diseases and control, together about 27.5% of its articles. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Cell Host & Microbe was launched in March 2007. The journal's mission is to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and concepts between scientists studying the microbe with those studying the host immune, cell biological, and molecular response upon colonization or infection by a microbe.Cell Host & Microbe will publish novel findings related to microbes (which includes bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses) from molecular and cellular biology to translational studies with particular emphasis on the interface between the microbe and its host (vertebrate, invertebrate, or plant; unicellular or multicellular). The unifying theme is the integrated study of microbes (pathogenic, non-pathogenic, and commensal) in conjunction and communication with each other, their host, and the cellular environment they inhabit. Work published in Cell Host & Microbe is expected not only to be of exceptional significance within its field, but also of interest to researchers outside the immediate area. In addition to primary research manuscripts, Cell Host & Microbe will publish expert analysis, commentary, and reviews on topics of current interest in the field.Topics covered include Molecular and cell biology of microbes, Microbial pathogenesis, Host cellular and immune response to microbes, Immune evasion, Therapeutics, Evolution, epidemiology, and natural history of microbes, Vaccine design, development and trials, Emerging pathogens
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Microbiology
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Gut microbiota and healthBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology15.8%
- Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens researchMedicine5.9%
- Mosquito-borne diseases and controlMedicine5.8%
- HIV Research and TreatmentImmunology and Microbiology5.8%
- interferon and immune responsesImmunology and Microbiology5.4%
- Bacteriophages and microbial interactionsEnvironmental Science5.1%
- Viral gastroenteritis research and epidemiologyMedicine4.2%
- Immune Cell Function and InteractionImmunology and Microbiology4.2%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Medicine Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Microbiology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Parasitology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Virology | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Medicine Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Microbiology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Parasitology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Virology | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Medicine Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Microbiology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Parasitology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Virology | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 23.22LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 23.2Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 34.9LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 34.9Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 9.89LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 3.98LetPub ·
- h-index
- 147LetPub ·
- h-index
- 321OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 2,542OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 15.67OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 1.3%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 37.41%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 127LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 3,651 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 186 | 71 | 320 |
| 2025 | 219 | 119 | 2,253 |
| 2024 | 216 | 213 | 7,161 |
| 2023 | 206 | 206 | 10,900 |
| 2022 | 209 | 209 | 13,011 |
| 2021 | 191 | 189 | 19,440 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with PubMed · to
154 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 56 days – 238 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 27 days (53 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 236 days
- Sample
- 86 articles with submission and acceptance dates (469 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Average review time (community reports)
- 4–8 weeksLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- HardLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 3 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 77 daysPublisher website ·
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 10,400 / EUR 9,640 / GBP 8,330 / JPY 1,289,910 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 10,400 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteOpen access
- Open access Open Access
Article Publishing Charge (APC): USD 10,400 (excluding taxes). The amount you pay may be reduced during submission if applicable.
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Cell Press
- Country or region
- UNITED STATES
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Monthly
- Founded
- 2007
- ISSN
- 1931-3128
- Electronic ISSN
- 1934-6069
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Cell Host & Microbe
What CAS zone is Cell Host & Microbe in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Cell Host & Microbe is in Zone 1 of Medicine, and in Zone 1 of the minor category Microbiology / Parasitology / Virology; it is a Top journal. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 1 of Medicine. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Cell Host & Microbe?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 23.22; CiteScore 34.9, h-index 321.
How long does peer review take at Cell Host & Microbe?
Based on the dates recorded on 86 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 154 days (interquartile range 56–238 days); authors report an average review time of 4–8 weeks; the community-reported acceptance is “Hard”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
Which databases index Cell Host & Microbe?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Cell Host & Microbe is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Cell Host & Microbe open access, and what is the APC?
Cell Host & Microbe is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 10,400.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-25). Last updated: .